Team mentor and STEMM Middle College teacher Scott Heister says the robotics program had a positive effect on student academic success.

He says,

“Because we recognized...when we were running the robotics team that students actually were much more highly engaged when they were [involved with] robotics. They worked harder, their grades went up... their attendance went up.”

The Grizzly Robotics team has grown from 13 students to more than 50 students in the past three years. The national competition begins Thursday.

More than 800 Ypsilanti Community Schools students will receive brand new tablets to use this school year, for free.

Every student at Washtenaw International Middle School and 600 at Ypsi Community Middle School will have a new Samsung tablet and 24/7 internet access through the academic year.

Yen Azzaro is with the district:

“They’re really going to be on the cutting edge of using classroom software that hasn’t been used in a widespread fashion in the past. So we will be models for other schools that are looking to do similar programs.”